Zoner's E30 goes up in flames

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:16 pm

Not just yet, but soon if what I saw yesterday is anything to go by!
I spent a while yesterday morning wandering around the zone's area at Santa Pod, incognito, looking at the fuseboxes of any E30s that had their bonnets up, and almost without exception, the rating of the fuse 11 fitted, the fuel pump fuse, was twice what it should be. Almost every car had a 15A (blue) fuse fitted instead of a 7.5A (brown) fuse.
This is a page from the zone wiki: http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Fuse_Box
Compare it with what you have under your bonnet, and make sure that any fuse you have fitted is the same colour as shown on the page. Not all fuses will be fitted on most cars, but make sure that the ones that are are correct.

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:23 pm

Great post brian. When i got my e30 it had the wrong fuse in on of the slots at the plastic around it actualy melted

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:23 pm

5 years and still no fire.

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:27 pm

Thanks, I'll be checking that.

what would be the others factors involved to turn the wrong fuse into fire ?

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:33 pm

Was my M3 one of them

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:36 pm

It was lovely to meet you,the Mrs at the pod.I'm going to check all of my fuses tomorrow mate and another great post!

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:37 pm

I might set fire to mine I'm pissed off with it

Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:38 pm

i have a direct feed with a 10 amp inline fuse.

i need to address the whole situation soon but one thing at a time.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:07 am

This guy is a fookin genius. . . . . . All hail, thanks for the info my bonnet was shut so mine wasnt one of them but im definitely gonna check em asap!

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:10 am

Duke137 wrote:I might set fire to mine I'm pissed off with it

Pop a 15A in slot 11 tomorrow and your prayers may be answered

.

Top tip.

Be careful to ensure your insurance premiums are up to date first

.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:15 am

Ranchero wrote:
Duke137 wrote:I might set fire to mine I'm pissed off with it
Pop a 15A in slot 11 tomorrow and your prayers may be answered .

Top tip.

Be careful to ensure your insurance premiums are up to date first .

you bad boy Ranch.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:27 am

good post brian, im going to check mine tomorrow and report back !

lets all post up results on any wrong fuses , and all hail brian, absoloute legend of a zoner and a fountain of knowlege !

Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:48 am

After you told me about my over stocked fuse box on my wip thread a while ago i went through the wiki link and correctly fitted all the right amp fuses and removed the none needed ones and funnily enough, things that had stoped working like my interior lights, fag lighter etc etc all started working again so thanks brian

Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:01 am

But why would this be? How comes so many have the incorrect fuse in place? Coincidence? Why would "almost every car" have a 15a in place over a 7.5a.

I'll check mine but I've never even removed the fuses or looked at any other fuseboxes. I suspect half the cars there are in the same boat.

Was it a recall no one knows about, a mistake on the production line or dealers? Seem so many have it "wrong".

Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:56 am

E36's use a 15 amp fuel pump fuse, maybe its just a common mix up? Or a common workshop manual has it wrong?

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:12 am

Mine's a blue fuse - 15A, just checked.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:26 am

Mine was one of these with the wrong fuse

I wasnt to know. The car drove so never suspected anything. I switched it there and then. When I first started the car, my fuel pump whining noise I have been having wasnt as bad, but the following day it was its normal loudness again

But, I'm glad I met Brian and his lovely family.

Did you manage to get your stolen trophy back?

Also, like B7 said, why do you think its such a common mistake? I was boring the crap out of the missus on the way home talking about it saying it would be a very odd coinencidencennencice (Spelling?) so surely something caused a mix up at some point.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:28 am

BMW Repair Manual CD for E30 from 1985

As you can see, this manual reads fuse slot 11, fuel pump, 15A fuse...

The '89 E30 Electric Troubleshoot Manual (ETM) also read 15A fuse for slot 11.

The '90 ETM same story...

BUT...

'87 Owner´s Handbook reads slot 11 - fuel pump, with a 7.5A fuse...

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:35 am

When an E30 fuel pump starts acting up (as most will have done at some time by now), with the motor/pump jamming, the 'locked rotor' current is sufficient to pop a 7.5A fuse, as it should.
During the early stages of failure, the pump will either unjam itself spontaneously, or respond to a slight 'tap', which of course is of no use if the fuse has failed.
After a blown 7.5A fuse or three, a 15A fuse goes in there, and this will not blow under locked rotor conditions. No damage normally occurs to the loom, as without fuel the engine shortly stops and the ECU cuts power to the pump before the wire can cook.
Eventually the pump gets changed, but according to my 'poll' on Sunday, the fuse rarely gets changed back.
In the event of a short circuit on the pump wire, the current flowing through the wire before the fuse blows will be much greater than locked rotor current, and the 'let through energy' might just be high enough to cause permanent damage.
This is all of particular importance to those of you who run on LPG, since your engine will not stop if the pump fails, and the ECU won't cut the power to the pump.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:44 am

DaniTD wrote:BMW Repair Manual CD for E30 from 1985

As you can see, this manual reads fuse slot 11, fuel pump, 15A fuse...

The '89 E30 Electric Troubleshoot Manual (ETM) also read 15A fuse for slot 11.

The '90 ETM same story...

BUT...

'87 Owner´s Handbook reads slot 11 - fuel pump, with a 7.5A fuse...

In some early cars the fuse is supplying an in tank transfer pump plus an in line external pressure pump, so it's quite likely that on these cars a 15A fuse is stipulated.
If BMW are still stipulating 15A fuses in ETMs issued after '87, then this must be an oversight. The rating of any fuse supplying any motor should be such that it blows under locked rotor conditions, unless there is some other kind of protection device included in the circuit, such as a 'klixon' type device in contact with the motor or a PTC resistor.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:49 am

Brianmoooore wrote:
DaniTD wrote:BMW Repair Manual CD for E30 from 1985

As you can see, this manual reads fuse slot 11, fuel pump, 15A fuse...

The '89 E30 Electric Troubleshoot Manual (ETM) also read 15A fuse for slot 11.

The '90 ETM same story...

BUT...

'87 Owner´s Handbook reads slot 11 - fuel pump, with a 7.5A fuse...
In some early cars the fuse is supplying an in tank transfer pump plus an in line external pressure pump, so it's quite likely that on these cars a 15A fuse is stipulated.
If BMW are still stipulating 15A fuses in ETMs issued after '87, then this must be an oversight. The rating of any fuse supplying any motor should be such that it blows under locked rotor conditions, unless there is some other kind of protection device included in the circuit, such as a 'klixon' type device in contact with the motor or a PTC resistor.

That manual covers the last E30 models such as 318i M40, M3, 324td and so, the last ones. There´s another manual for U.S. E30 from 81 to 85

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:50 am

M3 uses 2 fuel pumps same as injection cars up to 88

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:51 am

Jim320i wrote: Did you manage to get your stolen trophy back?

Not stolen - it's in the custody of one of the team at the moment, though not sure who!
Seems that most of the lightweights that turned up to the zone display area bu**ered off home at the sight of a little light rain, so when I came back at about 4pm to meet a few of you and put a few faces to names, there were only a few of you left!

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:53 am

DanThe wrote:M3 uses 2 fuel pumps same as injection cars up to 88

What do I need to look for then ??

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:58 am

Brianmoooore wrote:
Jim320i wrote: Did you manage to get your stolen trophy back?
Not stolen - it's in the custody of one of the team at the moment, though not sure who!
Seems that most of the lightweights that turned up to the zone display area bu**ered off home at the sight of a little light rain, so when I came back at about 4pm to meet a few of you and put a few faces to names, there were only a few of you left!

Thats good to hear that one of them has it then. Although I'd be worried about them trying to etch their name in it and denying all knowledge of where it was

It is a shame about everyone leaving early though, I wanted to get some pictures and then when it rained, most drove off

Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:59 am

Brianmoooore wrote:
Jim320i wrote: Did you manage to get your stolen trophy back?
Not stolen - it's in the custody of one of the team at the moment, though not sure who!
Seems that most of the lightweights that turned up to the zone display area bu**ered off home at the sight of a little light rain, so when I came back at about 4pm to meet a few of you and put a few faces to names, there were only a few of you left!

If someones E30 had gone up in flames you could have all kept warm during the passing shower

Only joking

Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:15 am

Mine is a C reg chromie with external pump feeding my donk. Is this likely to need a bluey?

Good post btw. Thanks!

Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:20 am

Dezzy wrote:Mine is a C reg chromie with external pump feeding my donk. Is this likely to need a bluey?

Good post btw. Thanks!

First of all, not all E30s with an external pump have an in tank pump as well - the easy way to tell is to look at the top of the tank under the hatch and see how many cables go to whatever is there.
All models should have a three pin plug for the level sender and low fuel light, but those with a pump will have a two pin connector as well.
I ran a 318i as a general run around for about six years a while back. That had two pumps, and ran happily on a 7.5A fuse for the whole time that I used it.

Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:23 am

Dezzy wrote:Mine is a C reg chromie with external pump feeding my donk. Is this likely to need a bluey?

Good post btw. Thanks!

Out of curiosity, is yours an original pre-face body loom mate? Are you on a 55L carb type fuel tank?

I am rewiring mine (1985 316 Auto carb formerly) with a facelift body loom and wasn't sure what to do with regards the fuel pump.

I know the tank swirl chambers are present for in-tank pumps but I was planning on using the original tank anyway with an in tank pump I have in-stock

Sorry for slightly OT there

Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:49 am

Mine was/is a 318i matey. Totally original body loom. Dan mod'd Lee's 318 carb wiring for the level sender and bigger tank. Also we needed to sort the rev counter wiring as we are porpers. I have a bluey

Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:05 am

Dezzy wrote:Mine was/is a 318i matey. Totally original body loom. Dan mod'd Lee's 318 carb wiring for the level sender and bigger tank. Also we needed to sort the rev counter wiring as we are porpers. I have a bluey

Sound, I'll see how I get on anyway, can't be too difficult

Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:59 am

A big fire and an insurance pay out would be a result in MOST cases !

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:19 pm

Get a brownun in boys!

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:27 pm

DanThe wrote:Get a brownun in boys!

Flamer kit for Stevie???

Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:34 pm

I am running a 30amp fuse for my fuel pump as I have an M42 and need it.